Toothbrush and dental-floss dispenser

ABSTRACT

A toothbrush is described which is so constructed as to contain a novel dental-floss dispenser in the handle thereof.

United States Patent McCord 1 Jan. 1, 1974 [5 TOOTHBRUSH AND DENTAL-FLOSS 1,646,082 10/1927 Dailey 132/84 A DISPENSER 1,813,360 7/1931 Priest 132/84 A 2,233,936 3/1941 CampbelL. 132/84A Inventor: Robert McCord, Florence, Mass- 2,233,522 3/1941 Fickle 132 92 [73] Assignee: Vistron Corporation, Cleveland,

I Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene 22 Filed; Och 13, 1972 Assistant Examiner-Gregory E. McNeill Att J h F. .1 et a1. 21 Appl. No.: 297,210 may 0 n Ones [52] US. Cl 132/84 A [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl A45d 44/18 I [58] Field of Search 132/84 A, 91, 92 A toothbrush is described which i so constructed as to contain a novel dental-floss dispenser in the handle [56] References C11ted thereof.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,439,279 12/1922 Ward 132/84 A 1 Claim, 11 Drawing Figures :PATENTEUJAN Hm SHtEI 1 0F 2 FIG. 2

TOOTHBRUSH AND DENTAL-FLOSS DISPENSER The present invention relates to a combined toothbrush and dental-floss dispenser and more particularly pertains to a toothbrush having a dental-floss dispenser in the handle thereof.

This invention relates to attachments for toothbrushes and provides a novel, convenient, simple, efficient and practical device upon the handle of a toothbrush for storing and dispensing dental floss, said device being so constructed and located as not to interfere with normal use of the toothbrush as such.

An important object of this invention is to provide a toothbrush with a handle constructed for the storage therein and dispensing therefrom of dental-floss material.

Another object is the provision of a toothbrush handle so constructed as to contain in a convenient manner a novel dental-floss dispenser.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The article of this invention can best be described by referring to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the toothbrush-dentalfloss dispenser partly in section.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the toothbrushdentalfloss dispenser also partly in section.

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5A is another view taken along line 55 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5B is a top plan view of the toothbrush-dentalfloss dispenser showing removal of a portion of dental floss therefrom.

FIG. 6 is a view taken along line 66 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an exploded side elevation partly in section of the toothbrush-dental-floss dispenser showing the main parts of the dental-floss dispenser.

FIG. 7A is a top plan view of the toothbrush portion shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation partly in section of the brush portion shown in FIG. 7A.

The device embodied in this invention comprises a toothbrush handle 1 equipped at one end thereof with several longitudinally spaced rows of tufts of suitable toothbrush bristles 2, as is the common practice in toothbrush manufacture, and at the opposite end thereof with a de'mountable, rotatable end cap 3 having open (slot) and closed portions which is rotatably and removably mounted onto the end of the toothbrush handle 1. The interior of the toothbrush handle 1 in the vicinity of the end cap 3 is equipped with internal ribs 4, the ends of which are adapted to rotatably abut and restrain one plug 5 of a dentalfloss roller 6 when said dental-floss roller containing dental floss 7 is mounted in the toothbrush handle 1, the other plug 5 of the dental-floss roller being rotatably restrained by the inside of the end cap 3 when it is mounted on the end of the toothbrush handle 1. Also mounted at the end of the toothbrush handle 1 which is adapted to receive the dental-floss roller 6 and end cap 3 is mounted a floss cutter 8 which is equipped with an open slot 9 to receive the dental floss before it is cut and mounting slots 10 for attaching the floss cutter 8 to the toothbrush handle 1. The floss cutter 8 is mounted in such a way as to be contained in or exposed by the end cap 3 depending upon whether the end cap is in an open (FIG. 5A) or closed (FIGS. 5 and 6) position. The toothbrush handle 1 is equipped with an external channel 11 to receive the end cap 3 mating channel ribs 12 and locking the end cap 3 in a rotatable position onto the toothbrush handle.

I claim:

1. In a toothbrush comprising a handle equipped at one end with longitudinally spaced rows of tufts of suitable bristles and at the opposite end with a dental-floss dispenser, said dental-floss dispenser comprising a dental-floss roller containing dental floss on it, said roller being mounted inside the handle of the toothbrush, there also being mounted adjacent the dental-floss roller a dental-floss cutter equipped with an open slot to receive the dental floss before it is cut, the improvement comprising the provision of a slotted end cap which is rotatably mounted on the opposite end of the toothbrush handle so as to cover or expose the dentalfloss cutter as said end cap is rotated. 

1. In a toothbrush comprising a handle equipped at one end with longitudinally spaced rows of tufts of suitable bristles and at the opposite end with a dental-floss dispenser, said dental-floss dispenser comprising a dental-floss roller containing dental floss on it, said roller being mounted inside the handle of the toothbrush, there also being mounted adjacent the dental-floss roller a dental-floss cutter equipped with an open slot to receive the dental floss before it is cut, the improvement comprising the provision of a slotted end cap which is rotatably mounted on the opposite end of the toothbrush handle so as to cover or expose the dental-floss cutter as said end cap is rotated. 